International Student and Scholar Services
Visas to Other Countries

An international student or scholar who will travel to a destination other than his/her country of citizenship may need a visitor visa to spend time in that country.  Some governments also require that citizens of certain countries obtain a visa document even if the foreign citizen will only remain in an airport for a brief period of time to board a connecting flight.  These types of visas are called transit visas. 

In many cases, the country maintains a list of nationalities required to obtain visitor and/or transit visas.  Please note, however, that a student or scholar whose U.S. visa stamp has expired may be required to obtain a transit visa even if citizens of his/her country are not usually subject to the transit visa requirement. 

Any student or scholar who will travel to a country that is not his/her country of citizenship should thus contact that country’s consular services about visitor and transit visas prior to travel.  Most countries have local embassies in Washington, D.C. that can assist students and scholars with the visa application process.

When considering an application for either a visitor visa or a transit visa from a foreign citizen, many countries require the student or scholar to provide evidence of permission to return to the United States as a part of the application process (such as a letter and/or a recent travel signature on the immigration document).  If the foreign country you wish to visit requires this evidence, please contact your IS Advisor  so that she may assist you with this documentation.